Archives Scrapbooks

This image displays a single sheet of paper featuring two newspaper clippings from the Harvard Crimson, dated July 16, 1976. The clippings are mounted or taped onto a larger, slightly yellowed sheet of paper, which has visible tape residue and slight discoloration along the left edge.

Headline and Attribution

At the top, centered on the page, is the masthead:

Harvard Crimson July 16, 1976

Left Article

The left clipping has a large, bold headline:

Harvard Offers $5000 Reward For Stolen Art

Below the headline is the byline:

By JAMES I. KAPLAN

The article reports that Harvard University is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of six oil paintings, reportedly worth $380,000, stolen the previous week from President Bok’s residence.

Key points from the article:

• Cambridge Police Detective Sgt. James Rosco is leading the city’s side of the investigation.
• The reward is intended partly as an inducement for professional art thieves who may have known about the crime’s planning.
• Rosco notes that the hope of someone involved in the crime seeing the reward and providing clues is also a motive.
• The theft is described as a “professional job.”

Right Article

The right column continues the story, providing additional details:

• A second hope — that the thieves might return the art for the reward — is considered unlikely, as it’s assumed the paintings have been spirited away to an unknown hideaway.
• University officials are unsure if the reward came from Bok’s or Harvard’s funds, though most believe it was from the University. A police source claims the idea originated from Harvard.
• Information should be directed to either Rosco or Detective Sgt. Richard Smith, who heads the Harvard police section of the investigation. The FBI is also involved.
• A Harvard spokesperson emphasized that information would be kept confidential.
• Of the six paintings, five (worth $370,000) belong to the University; the sixth is owned by President Bok himself.
• The paintings include:
  • Two by Boudin (19th century French Impressionist)
  • One by Berckheyde (17th century Dutch painter)
  • One each by Twachtman and Gifford (American scene artists of the 19th century)
  • Bok’s painting is by a 20th century artist under the pseudonym Arcambo.
• Smaller-sized black and white reproductions of the paintings were published in the previous Tuesday’s Crimson.
• Harvard had previously offered a reward in a similar case — the theft of several million dollars’ worth of rare coins from the Fogg Museum in December 1973; of the $25,000 offered then, none was ever given out.
• Daniel Steiner ’54, general counsel to the University, emphasized that the $5,000 reward is purely for evidence received, and not a fund for possible ransom.

Summary

This document is a preserved newspaper clipping from 1976 reporting a major art theft from Harvard President Bok’s residence. It details the offer of a $5,000 reward, the involvement of local and federal police, the identities and estimated values of the stolen works, and the university’s efforts to recover them — while explicitly disavowing any intention to pay a ransom. The tone is journalistic, with an emphasis on the seriousness of the crime and the university’s formal response.

The image is a newspaper clipping from the "Harvard Crimson" dated July 16, 1976. The headline reads "Harvard Offers $5000 Reward For Stolen Art." The article, written by James I. Kaplan, discusses the theft of six valuable oil paintings from President Bok's residence, which are described as being worth a combined total of $380,000.

The text includes details about the reward offer, the involvement of law enforcement, and the specifics of the stolen paintings. The article mentions that the paintings were stolen by professionals, indicating that the theft was a "professional job." The police detective in charge of the investigation, James Rosco, emphasizes the importance of keeping the reward money confidential and directs that information should be directed to either Rosco or Detective Sgt. Richard Smith, who is leading the Harvard police section of the investigation.

The article also notes that the FBI is involved in the case and that information about the stolen paintings, including their values and the artists they are attributed to, is detailed in the article. It further mentions a previous reward offer by Harvard for the recovery of stolen rare coins from the Fogg Museum in 1973, which was not claimed.

The article concludes by stating that the $5,000 reward was intended as a reward for evidence, not for ransom. The overall tone of the article conveys the seriousness of the theft and the university's commitment to recovering the stolen artworks.

This image is a clipping from the Harvard Crimson, dated July 16, 1976. The article is titled "Harvard Offers $5000 Reward For Stolen Art" and is written by James I. Kaplan. The article discusses Harvard's offer of a $5,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of six oil paintings reportedly worth $380,000 that were stolen from President Bok's residence.

The article mentions that Cambridge Police Detective Sgt. James Rosco, who is heading the investigation, believes the reward may encourage professional art thieves to provide evidence. It also notes that the hope of someone uninvolved in the crime seeing the paintings and providing clues is another reason for the reward.

The article provides details about the paintings, including their values and artists. Five of the six paintings, with a reported value of $370,000, belong to Harvard, while the sixth, valued at $10,000, is owned by Bok. The paintings include works by Boudin, Berckheyde, Twachtman, Gifford, and an artist known as Arcambo.

The article also mentions that Harvard has offered a reward once before in a similar case, involving rare coins stolen from the Fogg Museum in 1973. The spokesman for Harvard emphasized that the information leading to the recovery of the paintings would be kept confidential.

Daniel Steiner '54, general counsel to the University, clarified that the $5,000 reward is purely for evidence received and not a fund for a possible ransom.

The image is a clipping from a newspaper, specifically from the Harvard Crimson, dated July 16, 1976. The clipping is a rectangular piece of paper, likely cut from a larger page, with a grayish background and a white border around the edges.

The clipping contains two columns of text. The left column is titled "Harvard Offers $5000 Reward For Stolen Art" by James I. Kaplan. The right column is a continuation of the article, detailing the specifics of the reward and the stolen art.

The left column begins with the headline and author's name, followed by the main body of the article. It discusses Harvard University's offer of a $5000 reward for information leading to the recovery of six oil paintings reportedly worth $380,000, stolen from President Bok's residence. The article mentions Cambridge Police Detective Sgt. James Rosco, who is leading the investigation, and emphasizes the hope that the reward will encourage professional art thieves to provide information about the crime.

The right column continues the article, providing additional details about the stolen paintings. It mentions that the reward is directed to either Rosco or Detective Sgt. Richard Smith, who is heading the second section of the investigation. The FBI is also involved in the case. The article highlights that the reward is intended to incentivize professional art thieves to come forward with information. It also notes that Harvard has offered similar rewards in the past, such as a $5000 reward for evidence in a different case, which was given out but did not lead to the recovery of stolen items.

The text is printed in a standard newspaper font, with the headline in bold to distinguish it from the body text. The article is written in a formal and informative tone, typical of a news report. The clipping appears to be a straightforward news article without any accompanying images or graphics.

The image is a scanned copy of a newspaper clipping from the Harvard Crimson, dated July 16, 1976. The headline reads "Harvard Offers $5000 Reward For Stolen Art." The article discusses the recovery of six stolen oil paintings worth $380,000 from President Bok's residence. The Harvard University Police Department is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the paintings. The article mentions that the paintings are valued at $370,000 and belong to the University. The paintings include works by artists such as Boudin, Bouguereau, and Twachtman. The article also mentions that the reward is intended to encourage professional art thieves to provide evidence rather than bear fruit immediately. The article also mentions that the FBI is involved in the investigation.

The image depicts a scanned page from the Harvard Crimson, dated July 16, 1976. The page features a news article titled "Harvard Offers $5000 Reward For Stolen Art" by James I. Kaplan. The article discusses Harvard University's offer of a $5,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of six oil paintings, reportedly worth $380,000, stolen from President Bok’s residence.

Key Details from the Article:

1. Reward Details:

   • Harvard is offering a $5,000 reward for information that helps recover six stolen oil paintings.
   • The paintings are valued at approximately $380,000.

2. Investigation Context:

   • The theft occurred the previous week.
   • Cambridge Police Detective Sgt. James Rosco, who is temporarily heading the investigation, confirmed the reward.
   • The reward is intended to incentivize professional art thieves who may have knowledge of the crime or can provide evidence.

3. Motivation Behind the Reward:

   • Offering a reward is seen as a primary motive for individuals involved in the theft to come forward.
   • The hope is that someone uninvolved in the crime might see the paintings and provide clues to investigators in exchange for the reward.

4. Source of the Reward:

   • University officials stated they did not know if the reward money came from Bok or Harvard.
   • However, they believed the idea of putting up a reward originated from Harvard.
   • A police source indicated that the reward was suggested by Harvard.

5. FBI Involvement:

   • The FBI is also involved in the investigation.

6. Confidentiality:

   • Any information provided would be kept confidential.
   • The value of the six paintings is reported to be $370,000, belonging to the University.

7. Description of the Stolen Paintings:

   • The six paintings include works by notable artists:
     • Bok Boughin: A 19th-century French Impressionist.
     • Berkos: A 17th-century Dutch painter.
     • Twachtman and Gifford: American painters.
   • The sixth painting is by Bok himself, under the pseudonym Arcambo.
   • Smaller black and white reproductions of the paintings were published in the Crimson on Tuesday before the reward was announced.

8. Historical Context:

   • Harvard had previously offered a reward of several million dollars for the return of rare coins stolen from the Fogg Museum in 1973.
   • However, no evidence was ever given in return for the $25,000 reward offered in that case.

9. Legal Perspective:

   • Daniel Steiner, general counsel to the University, emphasized that the $5,000 was purely a reward for evidence received, not a ransom payment.

Layout and Design:

• The article is presented in a classic newspaper format with a clear headline, byline, and body text.
• The page includes the publication name (Harvard Crimson) and the date (July 16, 1976) at the top.
• The text is typed in a serif font, typical of newspaper printing from that era.
• The article is divided into two columns, with the left column containing the main headline and introductory text, and the right column providing additional details and context.

Overall Impression:

The image captures a historical news article detailing a significant art theft and Harvard’s response, highlighting the university’s efforts to recover stolen artwork through a financial incentive. The article provides insight into the investigation, the value of the stolen items, and the broader context of similar incidents involving rare art and collectibles.

This image shows a newspaper clipping from the "Harvard Crimson" dated July 16, 1976. The article is headlined "Harvard Offers $5000 Reward For Stolen Art" and is written by James I. Kaplan. The article discusses Harvard offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of six oil paintings reportedly worth $380,000 stolen the previous week from President Bok’s residence. The piece features the details of the investigation, the suspected professional nature of the theft, and the specific artworks that were stolen, which includes pieces by Bol, a 19th-century French impressionist, and a 17th-century Dutch painter named Ter Borch. The article also references a spokesperson for Harvard emphasizing that the University was after evidence for the stolen art and the general counsel to the University underscoring that the $5,000 reward was not a ransom. The text is displayed on a background with a beige tint, possibly due to the aging of the paper.

This image depicts a newspaper article titled "Harvard Offers $5000 Reward for Stolen Art," published in the Harvard Crimson on July 16, 1976.

The article describes the theft of six oil paintings, collectively valued at $380,000, from the residence of Harvard's President Bok. Cambridge Police Detective Sgt. James Rosso, leading the investigation, is quoted in the piece, explaining the reward is intended to encourage professional art thieves or anyone with knowledge of the crime to provide evidence.

The paintings include works by Boudin, Berckheyde, Tractman, Gifford, and others, belonging to Harvard University. The article emphasizes that this reward is strictly for useful evidence and not for paying ransom. Smaller black-and-white reproductions of the stolen pieces are referenced as having been published in a prior issue of the Harvard Crimson. The piece highlights Harvard's statement on how the $5000 reward originated and the security concerns surrounding the crime.

The image shows a newspaper clipping mounted on a piece of paper labeled "Harvard Crimson July 16, 1976." The clipping contains an article titled "Harvard Offers $5000 Reward For Stolen Art," written by James I. Kaplan. The article discusses Harvard offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of six oil paintings worth approximately $380,000 that were stolen from President Bok's residence.

The article states that Cambridge Police Detective Sgt. James Rosco is leading the investigation and believes professional art thieves may be involved. The hope of uninvolved witnesses providing evidence is motivating the reward.

University officials are unclear if the reward money is coming from Bok or Harvard but assume the funds come from the University. Investigators' spokespersons include Detective Sgt. Richard Smith and the FBI, which is also involved in the case.

The stolen paintings are said to be of significant value, including works by Boudin, Berckheyde, Twachtman, Gifford, and a 20th-century artist known as Arcambo, with detailed information about some of the artists mentioned.

Harvard previously offered a similar reward for stolen rare coins from the Fogg Museum in 1973, with no evidence recovered.

Daniel Steiner, general counsel to the University, emphasized the $5,000 reward is strictly for evidence leading to recovery, not a ransom fund.

Small black and white reproductions of the stolen paintings were published in that day's issue of the Harvard Crimson newspaper.